Imagine Our Surprise Being surrounded on two sides by our rivers, old Sacramento neighborhoods really are, natural urban wildlife preserves. I have lived in the country and I have lived in the city and have seen more wildlife in Southside Park, a dozen blocks from the State Capital, than anywhere else I have lived. Last year an Osprey visited our small pond for a day or so, and high up in one of the Sycamores on 5th Street, a pair of hawks, raised a nest of young’uns this year. Everyone on our block watched them in wonder and awe. Later as the tree leafed out it was mostly the sound of the parents as they screeched in with food that told us of their continuing presence. We worried every w

Think skunks are just a backwoods problem? I live a dozen blocks from the State Capital in Side Park and skunks have become a very real problem. It wasn’t so bad this summer when they would occasionally visit my yard at night and dig for grubs, but now it is a very big problem because it is every night and because they seem to be trying to move right into the house. Their nocturnal sprayings wake us up at night, so strong is the smell. I called the city information operator, and was told that “unfortunately the city doesn’t take care of wild animal problems” however the operator had several numbers to pass on for trappers who would, for a fee, help me with my skunk problem. The first num